Hame-and-trace connector.



No. 640,047. Patented Dec. 26, I899.

J. SWIGERT.

HAME AND TRACE CONNECTOR.

xxxxx on 1e (Appl' fi 6. July 18, 1899.)

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN SWIGERT, OF BLANCHESTER, OHIO.

HAM E-AND-TRACE CONNECTOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 640,047, dated December 26, 1899. Application filed July 18, 1899. Serial No. 724,261. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN SWIGERT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Blanchester, in the county of Clinton and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Hames, of which the following is a specification. A

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in hames, the object being to provide a hame with a staple and hook or clip of such construction that the hook may be adjusted for a high and intermediate or a low draft, so that the hames can be used with collars of any size and the hooks or clips adjusted on the hames so that the draft will be over the proper point of the collar; also, to provide a hame hook or clip which when in use will be held out of contact with the hame and so engage the staple that it will not rock thereon.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation showing a hame with my improvements applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing application of staple and ring to the hame, the clip or hook being shown in the position which it occupies before being placed in engagement with the staple. Fig. 3 is a sectional view, the hook or clip being shown in engagement with the staple; and Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the staple detached.

The hames A are of the ordinary type and have bored therethrough apertures for the reception of the larger stems or shanks b b b of the staple B, said staple being preferably made of malleable iron, so that the ends of the shanks may be upset over washers. It will be noted that the longer stemsor shanks taper slightly, and between the same are shorter shanks b b, the ends of which are pointed, so that they may enter the wooden body of the hame when the larger shanks are driven through the apertures in the hame. One of the shorter shanks b is positioned centrally between the shanks b b, and near the lower shank b is the shank b, it being positioned at such a distance from the shank b as to provide a space which receives the ring 0. The parts of the staple are so proportioned that equal spaces are provided between the shanks above the shank b.

The hame-hookD is made from a flat piece .of metal, one end of which is bent upon itself to provide a hook at for engagement with the staple, and the width of this hook is such that it may be passed over the vertical bar of the staple through one of the spaces between the shanks thereof, and when so positioned the edges will engage the shanks adjacent to the bar B. Beyond the curved portion of the hook at are shoulders or offsets d d, which are' adapted to abut against the sides of the shanks or stems of the staple and prevent the hook playing unduly upon the staple, said shoulders or ofisets d cl also serving to keep the hook out of engagement with the wooden portion of the hame, so that the hame will not be marred or chafed by the hook. The hook cl beyond that portion which engages with the staple is adapted to receive the trace-tug, and said part instead of having a hook, as shown, may have a closed eye. The hook D is bent slightly longitudinally, so that the draft will come on a line with the vertical bar of the staple, and as the bend is lengthwise of the hook, said bend or curve cooperates with the lugs in keeping or positioning the hook away from the face of the hame.

It will be noted that by the construction shown two hooks may be applied to the staple at the same time, so that the traces of a lead horse can be connected to the staple by means of one hook, while the traces from the other hook lead to thesingletree of the vehicle. The hook D can be cheaply manufactured and when worn can be readily replaced.

To change the position of the hook or clip, it is only necessary to turn the same half-way around and then slip it rearward. The end of the hook at is equal in width to the space between the stems of the staple, and when the curved portion embraces the bar of the staple the shoulders or offsets d will bear against the stems of said staple, so as to prevent the hame-hook swinging toward the hame.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In combination with a hame having attached thereto a staple with a plurality of shanks, of a hame-hook adapted to engage with the staple between the shanks, said hook having on opposite sides shoulders or ofisets which engage with the shanks of the staple and limit the swinging movement of the hook thereon, substantially as shown.

2. In a harne, the combination With a staple having end shanks and an intermediate shank of equal length, of shorter shanks disposed between the longer shanks, the shanks being so positioned that three equal spaces are provided together with a hame hook or clip having at one end a reduced and bent portion for engagement with the staple between the shanks thereof, and shoulders or ofisets which engage the shanks of said staple.

3. In combination with a hame and its staple, of a hame-hook which has an eye at one end and a reduced portion which is bent upon itself, said portion being of a width equal to the distance between the shanks of the staple, a part of the hame-hook to one side of that portion which is bent to provide the hook which engages with the staple being of a greater width than the aforesaid bent portion, substantially as shown. A

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

.JOHN SVVIGERT.

Witnesses: it

P. A. SNYDER, GEO. W. AUSTIN. 

